If ever, cricket is considered a religion, India will always be the number one country in the world following the same. The passion and dedication people have for the sport are unparalleled, and well, no wonder India excels in this particular sport to a great extent. Indian cricket has grown immensely in the last few years, and well, no wonder, a huge chunk of that credit also goes to the fact that our young and talented uncapped players have been groomed wonderfully and to a great extent. Not just domestic Indian talent readers, IPL, as a tournament, has blessed the world of cricket with some outstanding talents who have entertained the world of cricket with their phenomenal performances. While some cricketers started on a good note and eventually couldn’t carry forward the consistency as much as they would have hoped, some, on the other hand, eventually became modern-day legends for their respective countries. Like every other year, this year too, IPL will be a nice blend of young talent and ‘tried and tested’ sensations which are once again set to roar like tigers on the cricket field.
With IPL starting from 31st March 2023, here’s taking a quick look at eight cricketers who have it all in them to be game-changers in this year of IPL.
Jofra Archer: He’s brisk and, most importantly, has the unique ability to surprise one and all with his pace. With a short run-up, more often than not, batsmen feel that he will be bowling at a controllable pace. However, that’s where his uniqueness comes into the scenario. After a long stint with injury, Jofra is finally back with a bang, and in this year’s IPL, he will be a crucial player for Mumbai Indians, mainly because they will miss the services of Jasprit Bumrah.
Cameron Green: The young bloke from Australia has been delivering quite a lot of consistent cricket performances recently. In International cricket for Australia or any domestic team he’s represented, Cameron Green is one of the top cricketers in world T20 cricket. This time, it will be Mumbai Indians enjoying his services in IPL 2023, and well, he’s certainly got it all in himself to make it difficult for many batsman.
Virat Kohli: The ‘King’ is back and how. After dealing with many form-related issues, Virat Kohli is finally back in form. In the last few months, Virat Kohli has scored as many as 5 centuries in International cricket, including a brilliant 186 against Australia in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy. With this rich vein of form, he will undoubtedly be deadly for any opposition on his given day. As they say, ‘form is temporary, class is permanent.’
Andre Russell: ‘Brute force’. Yes. That’s precisely the term you use to describe Andre Russell and his power. He’s a legend in T20 cricket, and why not? He could win games for his side out of impossible situations, both in IPL and International cricket for West Indies. Since 2014, he’s been a consistent Kolkata Knight Riders team member, and we love it. With Shreyas Iyer missing from the squad this year due to a severe back injury, Andre Russell has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders to take care of that lower middle order.
Ben Stokes: Well, does this man really need an introduction? He’s a top-class legend for the England cricket team across all formats. Earlier, he was been away from cricket for quite some time after he took a break citing reasons for ‘mental health’. This year, he’s all set to represent Chennai Super Kings in this year’s IPL, and well, what a joy it would be to see him play under MS Dhoni’s leadership. Until about last year, CSK lacked an excellent option who could whack a few sixes below down the order and get away with a few overs in the middle. Well, Ben Stokes is the ideal option to fill in that gap.
MS Dhoni: ‘Anhoni ko honi karde honi ko anhoni’. Well, this started as a slogan during the initial days of MS Dhoni’s career. However, only a few at that time would have hoped that he would make it accurate and how. In 2020, CSK were down and out and failed to qualify for the playoffs. From there to eventually ensuring that they lifted the trophy in 2021, it was quite an impossible task that only MS Dhoni and his leadership abilities could have achieved. With those big biceps and intense fitness levels, MSD has looked quite good in the nets, and well, right now, we are all hoping that he would be hitting those big sixes once again to get the Chepauk crowd on its feet. Also, this could be MSD’s last IPL season, and he might want to leave on a high. So, all the other teams, brace yourselves because you genuinely need to.
Sam Curran: He’s one of the most talented young cricketers in the T20 scenario right now. He’s off-late been a consistent member of the England cricket team. Sam has been quite good, from being a decent left-arm fast-bowling option to someone who’s quite good with the bat as a leftie in the middle order. He was groomed under MS Dhoni’s leadership in Chennai Super Kings earlier. This year, he’s got a new team in Punjab Kings and well, with the kind of form he has now, he will undoubtedly be very excited to get things going and prove his mettle on the cricket field.
Harry Brook: Last but not least, we must discuss this cricketer. Although an unfamiliar option for many, anybody who follows cricket closely will understand the ability and potential this young bloke has to create an impact for his squad. There’s a reason that this young cricketer from England was purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a whopping 13.25 crores. The think tank of the squad saw great potential in him, and well, right now, it is time for him to deliver the goods and prove that he deserves the big bucks. An ideal platform for someone like him to showcase his talent and launch himself with perfection.
As a tournament, the standard of competitiveness in IPL has only grown and improved every year. Well, this year also, we are hoping that these 8 cricketers on our list, along with the others on the cricket field, will put their best foot forward to ensure that IPL 2023 becomes an enjoyable watch for one and all.